A TERRIFIED woman taxi driver was forced to hand over cash after being robbed at knife-point by a passenger in her cab.

The 33-year-old Widnes woman, who has not yet returned to work in the wake of her ordeal, was flagged down by the robber outside the Cock and Trumpet pub on Halebank Road and ordered to drive to the Childe of Hale pub in Hale village.

As they arrived in the pub car park, the robber brought her white Ford Escort to a halt by yanking up the handbrake.

He produced a knife and held it to against her chest while making demands for cash. The shocked victim complied and gave him approximately £70.

Detectives want to speak to several people who were stood in the car park at the time as they may be able to cast light on the role of another man who met the offender on the car park.

The pair were then seen making off in the direction of Hale lighthouse.

Police have issued a detailed description and an e-fit image of man they are hunting.

The robber is believed to be aged about 22, 5ft 9ins tall, of slim build and had a thin face with long features and bushy eyebrows.

The victim described him as 'foreign looking'.

He wore a dark jacket and a distinctive deerstalker hat with small peak at the front and earflaps folded up, revealing what could have been a white lining inside.

Police said the victim claimed not to be fooled by the offender's fake Newcastle accent as she could detect a clear Liverpudlian edge to his voice.

The second man who left the crime scene with the knife-wielding robber is thought to be aged 20-25, about 5ft 7-8ins in height, of slim build and was wearing a cream coloured tracksuit.

The incident took place at 9.10pm on Saturday night.

DC Steve Plant, field intelligence officer for Widnes CID, said: 'The woman was very frightened but was not physically hurt. She is still off work following the incident. There were a number of people on the car park who we want to contact, as they may have seen what happened.'

Witnesses should contact Neal Davison on 01244 613 734 or information can be left on the free Crimestoppers hotline, 0800 555 111.